Systemic Assessment [SA] as a Tool To Assess Student
Achievements in Inorganic Chemistry [Part-I]:
Sodium Chemistry:
Fahmy, A.F.M.*& Lagowski, J.J
*Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
E-mail: afmfahmy42@gmail.com ; www.satlcentral.com
Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas USA
E-mail: jjl@mail.utexas.edu
ABSTRACT:
Systemic Assessment aiming to a more effective evaluation of the systemic oriented
objectives articulated by SATL model. Systemic Assessment [SA] raising the level of
students academic achievements, increasing students learning outcomes, develop the
ability to think systemically, assess students higher-order thinking skills in which
students are required to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate, measures the students' ability
to correlate between concepts. Systemic Assessment Questions [SAQ, s] are the building
unites of the systemic assessment. In this issue we use SA as a tool to assess the student
achievement in inorganic chemistry by taking sodium chemistry as a module.
We use four types of Systemic assessment Questions, namely Systemic Synthesis
Questions [SSynQ, s], Systemic Analysis Questions [SAnQ, s], Systemic SyntheticAnalytic Questions [SSyn-A Q, s], and complete Systemics [SComp Qs].
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*Author for correspondence e-mail: afmfahmy42@gmail.com
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INTRODUCTION:
Systemic approach to Teaching and Learning Chemistry (SATLC) is a method of
arranging concepts in such a way that the relationships between various concepts and
issues are made clear. SATL methods have been shown, empirically, to be successful in
helping students learn in a variety of settings-pre-college, college, and graduate systems
of formal education as well as adult education—in a variety of disciplines; the sciences
(chemistry, biology, physics) (1-4). A number of statistical studies involving student
achievement indicate that students involved with SATL methods taught by teachers
trained in those methods achieve at a significantly higher level than those taught by
standard linear methods of instruction.
However, our studies on Systemic Assessment [SA] (5-7) is an ongoing process of
identifying the student learning outcomes, assess the student performance to these
outcomes. SA showed that is highly effective in raising the level of students academic
achievements, develop the ability to think systemically, assess students higher-order
thinking skills in which students are required to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate,
measures the students' ability to correlate between concepts, enables the students to
discover new relation between concepts. It is more effective evaluation of the systemic
oriented objectives in the SATL model .Systemic Assessment Questions [SAQ,s]are the
building unites of the systemic assessment (7,8).
In inorganic chemistry the usual descriptions of inorganic reactions by chemical
equations, represents linear separated correlations between reactants, resultants and
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reaction conditions. The student taught the six general types of chemical reactions,
namely, Combustion, single displacement, double displacement, Synthesis,
decomposition, and Acid-Base reactions. Although the students know the six types of
chemical reactions they find difficulties in representing chemical changes by correct
chemical equations, and in correlation between reactants and resultants. The student
while being taught through a linear approach is asked to present the chemical changes by
correct chemical equations , without any comprehension or appreciating significance of
these relationships representing the chemical reactions. This leads to memorization of the
chemical equations and finally to surface and rote learning. -Ausubel distinguishes “rote
learning” or memorization from meaningful learning (9). The process called
“assimilation” creates personal meaningful knowledge by restructuring the already
existing conceptual frameworks that the learner possesses to accommodate to the new
concepts being learned.
Our goal of this issue is to develop systemic assessment [SA] strategies and materials
can be used by students to assess their learning of chemical changes of elements .Also it
might lead to a better understanding of the systemic relations between elements and their
related compounds, between compounds of the same element, and most importantly
between types of the chemical changes under consideration.
Proposed learning Module:
Domain of learning material. As a material for the study, we take Sodium metal, as an
example of metals in this issue. Sodium metal is the first member of alkali metals
[Group-1.A] of the periodic table .The study includes the extraction of the sodium metal
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and its chemical properties. Also industrial preparations and chemical properties of some
sodium compounds are included. This module is considered as a part of general
chemistry for secondary school students and presented by systemic methodology.
Table 1. Domain of teaching material
Teaching unit
Alkali Metals
[Sodium]
Teaching themes
Preparation of Sodium
Chemical properties of
Sodium
Sodium hydroxide
[Caustic soda]
Chemical properties of
Sodium hydroxide
Sodium Chloride
Sodium carbonate and
Bicarbonte
Selected contents of defined theme
-Extraction from sodium hydroxide by Electrolysis.
- Extraction from sodium chloride by Electrolysis
-Reactions with oxygen,chlorine,water,acids.
-Manufacturing of Caustic soda
-Rections with acids, acidic oxides,amphoteric
oxides ,halogens, some salts.
-Preparations of pure sodium chloride.
- Reactions of sodium chloride.
-Manufacturing of Sodium carbonte,and bicarbonate
-Chemical reactions.
CORE IDEA:
Linear Assessment vs Systemic Assessment:
In the linear (Traditional )Assessment[LA] we ask our students to represent the different
types of inorganic reactions by chemical equations.
Example from Sodium chemistry: Write equations for the following reactions:
1-Reaction of sodium with water.[Displacement reaction].
2-Reaction of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid.[Acid-Base reaction].
3-Electrolysis of molten sodium chloride.[Electrolytic-Decomposition reaction].
Answer:
1- 2Na + 2 HOH
2 NaOH
2- NaOH + dil. HCl
3- NaCl [Molten]
NaCl
Electrolysis
2Na
[Cathode]
4
+
H2
+
+
HOH
Cl2
[Anode]
The student can write the symbolic chemical equations as above,but,however,he couldn,t
correlate between either sodium metal and its related compounds(NaOH,NaCl) or the
three chemical processes [Displacement, Acid-Base,and electrolysis] of the above
reactions.So, he just write the three separate equations without any comprehension or
appreciating significance of these relationships representing the chemical reactions. This
leads to a rote learning and consequently assess our students at lower learning level
[Memorization].
In the Systemic Assessment [SA]:
We can ask our students about the same chemical reactions by using four types of
systemic assessment questions [SAQ, S]:
Type (I): Systemic Synthesis Questions [SSynQ, s]:
In which we ask students to synthesize trigonal systemic represents the chemical relations
between [Na- NaOH - NaCl].
In this type of questions we assess our student’s knowledge about relations between
(sodium, sodium hydroxide, and sodium chloride) beside the relations between the three
chemical processes [Displacement, Acid-Base, and Electrolysis].Assess student learning
outcomes at synthesis level.
Type (2): Systemic Analysis Questions[SAn Q,s]:
In which we give our students the above trigonal systemic and ask them to analyze to the
corresponding chemical reactions.Assess student learning outcomes at synthesis level.
1- 2Na + 2 HOH
2 NaOH
+
H2
2- NaOH + HCl
NaCl
+
HOH
2Na
+
Cl2
3- NaCl [Molten]
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Electrolysis
Type-3: [SSynQ,s-SAn Q,s] by asking our student to;
1-Synthesize trigonal sytemic shows the chemical relations between [Na-NaOH-NaCl].
2- Analyze the resulted systemic into the corresponding chemical reactions.
Assess student learning outcomes at synthesis followed by analysis level.
Type-4: Complete the given ststemics by adding the missing chemicals [ScompQ,s]
Assess student learning outcomes at synthesis level.
By using SA we expect to convert our students from surface learning to deep learning
of chemical processes in sodium chemistry.
Design of learning material:
Learning sheets were prepared in the form of;
(1) A diagram of proposed liable bottles of the given element [Sodium] and some of its
related compounds,
(2) Systemic diagrams representing different types of systemic assessment questions
[SAQs] in which the selected chemicals of any reaction were located in the given
systemics. [SAQs] have been designed in accordance with the guidelines sated by:
Fahmy & Lagowski (2006, 2008, and 2012) (5-7), and Tzougraki (2011) (8)
(3) Then we ask students to choose between sodium and the given compounds to answer
the given systemic assessment questions.
You have the following bottles of chemicals:
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Answer the following questions:
Type-I: Systemic Synthesis Questions [SSynQ, s]
[Synthesize systemics from the given chemicals & assess the student
learning outcomes at synthesis level]
Type-I-A: Synthesize clockwise or anticlockwise systemic from the given
chemicals to give the correct possible chemical relations]:
Q1) Use the following triangular diagrams to construct the clockwise
Systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing) chemicals.
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Q2) Use the following quadrilateral diagrams to construct the
clockwise
Systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing) chemicals.
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Q3) Use the following pentagonal diagrams to construct the possible
clockwise systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing) chemicals.
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10
Q4) Use the following hexagonal diagram to construct the possible
Clockwise chemical relations between the (forgoing) chemicals.
A4)
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Q5) Draw one possible anticlockwise triangular systemic chemical
relations between three of (forgoing) chemicals.
A5)
Type-I-B: Synthesize systemic from the given chemicals to give
Maximum possible chemical relations:
Q6) Draw the maximum possible chemical relations between some of
the (forgoing) chemicals in quadrilateral systemic diagrams.
A6-A:
Note: There are five possible chemical relations instead of four in the
clockwise quadrilateral chemical relations (Q2).
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A6-B:
Note: There are six possible chemical relations instead of four in
clockwise quadrilateral chemical relations (Q2).
Q7) Draw the maximum possible chemical relations between the
(forgoing) chemicals in a pentagonal systemic diagram.
A7-A:
Note: There are eight possible chemical relations instead of five in the
clockwise pentagonal chemical relations (Q3).
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A7-B:
Note: There are eight possible chemical relations instead of five in the
clockwise pentagonal chemical relations (Q3).
Q8) Draw the maximum possible chemical relations between the
(forgoing) chemicals in hexagonal systemic diagrams.
A8:
Note: There are eleven possible chemical relations instead of five in the
clockwise hexagonal chemical relations (Q4).
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Type-II: Systemic Analysis Questions [SAnQ,s]
Assess the student learning outcomes at Analysis level.
Type-II-A: [Analyze systemics into another systemic]
Q1) Analyze the given systemic diagram from the (forgoing) chemicals
to the maximum possible clockwise systemic chemical relations.
A1)
1-Clockwise quadrilateral systemic chemical relations.
2-Clockwise triangular chemical relations.
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Q2) Analyze the given systemic diagram from the (forgoing) chemicals
to the maximum possible clockwise systemic chemical relations.
A2
1-Clockwise quadrilateral systemic chemical relations.
2-Clockwise triangular systemic chemical relations.
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Q3) Analyze the given systemic diagram from the (forgoing) chemicals
to the maximum possible clockwise systemic chemical relations.
1-Clockwise pentagonal systemic chemical relations.
2-Clockwise quadrilateral systemic c chemical relations.
2-Clockwise triangular systemic chemical relations.
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Type-II-B: Analyze systemics into The Corresponding
Chemical Equations:
Analyze the following systemic diagrams illustrating the systemic
chemical relations between Sodium and its related compounds into
Chemical equations:
Q1)
A1)
2Na
2NaOH
+
+
Na2CO3 +
2 NaCl
2H2O
2 NaOH+H2
CO2
Na2CO3 + H2O
Dil.2HCl
2NaCl +CO2+ H2O
[Molten]
2Na
+ Cl2
Q2:
NaCl
Electro./
Molten
Na
Air/heat
HCl
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Na2CO3
Na2O
CO2
H2 O
NaOH
Q3)
Type-III: Complete Systemics Questions [SComp Q,s]
[Complete the given unfilled or partially filled systemic diagrams &
assess the student learning outcomes at synthesis level]
Q1) From (forgoing) chemicals complete the following clockwise
systemic trigonal chemical relations.
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A1)
Q2) From (forgoing) chemicals complete the following quadrilateral
clockwise systemic chemical relations.
A2:
……
……
electrolysis
(molten)
……
CO2
……
……
Na
H2 O
……
……
………
……
……
NaOH
Na
CO2
electrolysis
(molten)
Na2CO3
NaCl
……
……
……
……
heat
excess
(O2)
Na2O2
A2)
electrolysis
(molten)
NaCl
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HCl
H2 O
HCl
NaOH
Q3) From (forgoing) chemicals complete the following clockwise
Systemic pentagonal chemical relations.
A3)
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Q4) From (forgoing) chemicals complete the following hexagonal
chemical relations.
A4)
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Type-IV: Systemic Synthetic- Analytic Questions [SSyn -An Q,s]
It is integration between systemic Synthesis and systemic Analysis
questions. So, we assess the student achievements learning outcomes at
the synthesis & analysis levels. We ask our students to synthesize
systemic from the given chemicals then ask them to analyze the resulted
systemic to the corresponding chemical reactions.
Q1) Use the following triangular systemic diagram to construct the
clockwise systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing)
chemicals. Then analyze to the corresponding chemical equations
A1-1: Synthesis:
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A1-2: Analysis: To three equations.
2 Na
+
O2
Na2O2 +
HCl
2 NaCl
[Molten]
heat/excess [O]
Na2O2
2NaCl + H2O2
Electrolysis
2Na
+
Cl2
Q2) Use the following the quadrilateral systemic diagram to construct
the clockwise systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing)
chemicals. Then analyze to the corresponding chemical equations
A2-1:Synthesis:.
A2-2:Analysis: To four equations.
1) 2 Na
+
2) Na2O2
+
3) NaOH
+
O2
2 HOH
4) 2NaCl [Molten]
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heat/excess [O]
Na2O2
2 NaOH + 2 H2O2
HCl
NaCl
Electrolysis
2 Na
+ HOH
+
Cl2
Q3)Use the following the pentagonal systemic diagram to construct the
clockwise systemic chemical relations between the (forgoing ) chemicals.
Then analyze to the corresponding chemical equations .
A3-1: Synthesis:
A3-2: Analysis: To five equations.
1) 4 Na
+ O2
2) Na2O
+ HOH
heat/ Air [O]
2 Na2O
2 NaOH
3) 2 NaOH + CO2
Na2CO3 + HOH
4) Na2CO3 + 2 HCl
2 NaCl + CO2 + HOH
5) 2NaCl
[Molten]
Electrolysis
2 Na +
Cl2
[Cathode] [Anode]
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(2006/2008)http://www.iupac.org/publications/cei
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